


The Ultimate Second Chance

by DumpyGrimbos2



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety Attacks, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gen, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Loss of Identity, Mindwiping, Slow Burn, Trans Fujisaki Chihiro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:54:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27566347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DumpyGrimbos2/pseuds/DumpyGrimbos2
Summary: Ryoko awoke in a strange place, surrounded by people she doesn't know, with no memories of how she got there or who she is. A woman claims she's her sister, and that she's been involved in an accident, but everyone seems strangely stingy with details.A Dangan Ronpa IF AU fic.
Relationships: Fujisaki Chihiro/Oowada Mondo, Ikusaba Mukuro/Naegi Makoto
Comments: 10
Kudos: 35





	1. A New Life

Her first experience in this world was waking up trapped inside some kind of metallic pod. She was wearing something like a hospital smock, or something similarly starchy and loose. The walls were lined with copper circuitry, tracing patterns up to her head. Just above eye level, a ring of lights and needles hovered ominously. The top of this coffin was covered in a foggy green glass, out of which she could just barely see a figure to her right.

After a few moments there was a hiss as the glass above her parted, and slowly slid off to the side. She attempted to lean up and see what was outside, but her body was heavy, sorer than she had ever been. Had ever been…? She couldn’t remember having been this sore before.

Before she could ponder that thought any further, a brown-haired woman leaned over her, with a worried look, “Hang on, you might not want to do that yet! The doctors said it would take a while for the anesthesia to wear off.“

“A-Anesthesia?” The word came out croaked and forced. Her throat felt dusty and unused. It didn’t sound like her own. She made a futile attempt to lean up again.

“You woke up a lot sooner than we were expecting, but it’s going to be okay! Don’t move around too much. I know this is probably surprising but, just don’t worry, you’ll be better soon!” The girl gave a forced smile. Her voice sounded reassuring, but practiced, “Now they gave me a quick checklist to go through with you to help calm you down. Let me just see here…”

“Checklist? W-what do you mean?” Her eyes went wide with fear as she realized her voice didn’t just not sound like her own, she didn’t recognize it. She could feel her breath quickening. Her head started to hurt.

“Hey hey, you’re safe, you need to calm down. The doctor said you might be suffering from minor brain damage, and they didn’t want you to get worked up. Let’s just go down this sheet, okay? First, you still have anesthesia-“

“B-brain damage?” Her heart was pounding so loud she could hear it in her ears. She had stopped paying attention to the kindly woman attending to her. Her head felt like it was going to split open, like a hatchet was trying to force its way out of her head through her eyeball. She knew they called this a migraine. How did she know that? She couldn’t remember having one before now. She couldn’t remember...

 _I can’t remember anything._ She felt tears stream down her face as she made that realization. Panic set in as she an alarm started to sound, fast beeping - a heart rate monitor was going off. The woman leaned down and gently tried to stroke her shoulders to calm her down.

“I can’t – I can’t!”The girl in the coffin cried, gripping onto the woman above her. She tried to say something back, but it went unheard as the girl with no memories blacked out.

The next time she awoke, she was no longer in a dark pod. Now her surroundings were brilliantly and starkly white, clean and completely spotless. She was on a bed, a surprisingly comfortable one at that. As she leaned up she could see a few nurses milling around the room. One, on the far side of the room, had long, wild purple hair and was staring directly at her.

Turning her head she was briefly startled to see a figure to her left, sitting at her bedside. A freckled woman, with black hair down to her shoulders, sat next to her and gave her a smile when they made eye contact. She looked relieved and worried in equal measures.

“It’s good to see that you’re awake.” Her voice was soft, wavering, like her every word was unsure. A far cry from the woman she’d met earlier, whose confidence felt rehearsed.

“I... Where am I?” Her voice was still disconcertingly foreign to her. The black haired woman’s eyes darted to the side for a moment. Following her gaze, the amnesiac saw a heart rate monitor hanging on the wall. Her pulse had just risen a bit.

The woman put a calming hand over her own, “You’re somewhere safe. This is an infirmary in the Future Foundation’s 14th Branch headquarters.”

“The Future Foundation? I don’t-“

“It doesn’t matter too much, I can explain later,” The woman interrupted, “Now, I know you’re confused, but I need you to take a few deep breathes before we continue, okay? I don’t want you to go through another panic attack.”

A panic attack? Somehow, she knew she’d never had one of those, unlike the migraine from before. Pushing that thought aside, she sat up in her hospital bed and did as the woman asked, taking a few slow, deep breathes and bracing herself for whatever she was about to hear.

Feeling that she had sufficiently prepared herself, the woman continued, “I need you to tell me if you can remember anything. Anything at all.”

“I… No, I can’t. I can remember the sensation of having a migraine, and I knew I’ve never had a panic attack just now, but I haven’t been able to remember anything else.”

“That’s okay, and to be expected. You’re suffering from total retrograde amnesia; certain knowledge and skills might remain, but you’ve forgotten everything about yourself and your past. I-I’m sorry, I truly am,” The woman stopped for a moment as she felt her emotions getting the better of her, “The machine you woke up in before was intended to help you, and to recover your memories, but it doesn’t seem to have done the job. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s… It’s okay.” The girl was struggling to calm herself down. No past? Who was she then? What had led to her having no memories? She felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes again.

The woman grabbed the Nameless’s hand and wrapped it in both of hers. “I know this is scary, but this isn’t all bad. There’s still people here who care about you. You can still have a whole, full life for yourself,” The Nameless looked unsure, but wiped away her tears and nodded, “The world outside is very dangerous. For now you’ll need to stay here, in the Future Foundation facilities. You’ll also need to go through some physical and psychological examinations. But for now you can just rest. I can answer any questions you might have.”

“The woman from before mentioned I had some brain damage, is that true? And who was she?”

“Yes, that is true. You suffered… an accident, leading to a head injury. You shouldn’t worry about any loss of cognitive abilities, though. Some of those tests are to make sure of that, but you’ll likely make a full recovery, aside from your amnesia. That woman was Aoi Asahina, by the way. You can trust her, she’s a friend of both of ours, from before the accident.”

“Then… Who are you?”

“Mukuro Ikusaba. I know this might be hard to believe, but in addition to working as an agent for the Future Foundation, I’m also...” The woman now seemed deeply shaken, her voice catching in her throat as though she might cry. She quickly steeled herself, before returning to the gentlest smile she could muster, “I’m also your twin sister.”

“I-I have a twin? I have a twin!” the Nameless’s surprise quickly turned to excitement. Mukuro flinched as the young woman’s arms shot into the air triumphantly, before quickly wrapping around her, “Oh thank goodness, I have a family…”

Mukuro hesitated. She was not used to so much physical affection, but eventually wrapped her arms around her disoriented sister. They held that hug for a minute or two, with the Nameless’s worry evaporating by the second. Mukuro’s however, remained.

Mukuro glanced up and saw a kindly brown haired young man in the doorway. He gave a friendly wave before leaning against the door. Mukuro pulled away from her sister. Her voice was now even more choked than before, “Sorry, it looks like my partner is here. I need to go, we have some reports to fill out now that you’re awake.”

“Wait!” the Nameless asked, betraying more urgency in her tone than she intended, “You haven’t told me my name yet.”

Mukuro turned back to face her sister. She gulped before croaking out a single word, “Ryoko.”

“Ryoko…” She mulled over the name in her head, before smiling to herself, “Ryoko Ikusaba! Thank goodness, that’s a good name! Okay, I'll see you later, bye-bye, sis!”

“Bye… Ryoko. I’ll be back soon, I promise. Try to get some rest.”

Ryoko waved happily, before leaning over to her bedside table and looking for something to read.

Mukuro walked out the thick metal doors, past the Ultimate Nurse, who glared at her as she passed. Makoto was waiting next to the exit, which she closed behind her in case of eavesdroppers.

Makoto gave her a gentle smile and Mukuro felt her heart flutter. Makoto was her trusted partner in more ways than one, and even after all these years seeing him smile at her brought her heart peace.

“So where did Ryoko come from? It’s a cute name,” Makoto asked, holding his hand out to her. She took it eagerly, webbing her fingers through his.

“It was a fake name she used a long time ago. I… I wanted to at least give her an answer.”

Makoto looked worried, “Kyoko gave us specific orders not to say anything about her past that could jog her memory. She was willing to make an exception for you reminding her of being sisters, but… Do you think this is a good idea?

Mukuro went quiet. To the average passerby, she likely looked stoic and calm, like always, but Makoto knew better. She was nervous, it was plain as day to him. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, an affectionate reminder that he loved her and whatever was on her mind wouldn’t change that. Mukuro finally sighed, “I don’t know, but… My sister, for all her love of despair, always left a glimmer of hope in all her plans. Now Ryoko is in there and… it just seems fair to leave a glimmer of despair for her to eventually overcome. It’s only fair to Junko.”

Makoto shook his head, before giving her another gentle squeeze and a smile, “Okay, if you say so sweetheart. I trust you, and I trust Ju… Ryoko. I have full faith that this will all be worth it.”

“I just hope it’ll be worth the tongue-lashing Kyoko is going to give us,” Mukuro’s voice was as deadpan as ever, but over the past year she’d gotten a lot better at jokes.

Makoto laughed and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Mukuro’s normally pale skin went flush pink in an instant, “Hopefully that makes Ryoko even more worth it. Now come on, we have to let Kyoko and the others know what happened.”

Mukuro nodded, and took one more look towards the infirmary that held her sister Junko - no _, Ryoko,_ she reminded herself. That would take some getting used to. The Ultimate Soldier, former Ultimate Despair, felt some hope well up inside her. Hope that she could truly have the little sister she always thought she did.


	2. Thalamus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mukuro and Makoto get scolded. Ryoko's curiosity gets the better of her.

Kyoko glared at the Hope duo from beneath steepled fingers, her hands simultaneously trying to hide her feelings, subtly rub her forehead to ease her frustration, and show the pair she was still thinking about her next words.

Makoto and Mukuro were widely known throughout the Future Foundation and what was left of the society as among the most renowned agents the Foundation had. Makoto, physically, was unimpressive. The spear he had taken to the abdomen had done a number on his already lacking physique, something that normally would have barred him from field work. However, in the weeks after Mukuro’s betrayal of her sister Junko Makoto had managed to truly step up as a leader of the group. The group found themselves completely alone when they escaped Hope’s Peak, just 15 confused teenagers amidst the ruins of a despair-filled society. They’d endured deranged bands of despair-fueled gangs, starvation, and even the kidnapping of one of their own. Sure, he wasn’t great at the planning and decision making side of leading, that fell mostly to Kyoko and Byakuya, but through it all Makoto was the glue that allowed them to survive and bond as a group, and inspired them to persevere. His ability to inspire hope and wipe away despair in even the most far gone of individuals made him invaluable in the field.

Mukuro, on the other hand, was the brawn that Makoto needed when the going got tough. Speak softly and carry a big stick, as they say. Mukuro was a figure that inspired fear in most who met her. Many violent opportunists had been scared away just by a stern glare once they realized that Mukuro was one of the Despair Sisters, especially in the first few weeks when she was still disguising herself as Junko. When Makoto’s soft words couldn’t talk their adversaries down, Mukuro’s firepower could force them to back down. Even so, there was no greater evidence of Makoto’s compassion than Mukuro. On the surface she might seem ever the self-depreciating, cold, occasionally blood-thirsty killer she had been, but now she possessed her own quiet form of kindness towards those around her, especially the other students of the class 78.

By the time they had been rescued by the Foundation, the 78th class of Hope’s Peak had already returned to being the close-knit group they’d been before having their memories tampered with. Kyoko knew that she had Makoto and Mukuro to thank for that, as well as for the countless other triumphs they’d achieved in the year since joining the Future Foundation. There was a reason that some referred to them in hushed whispers as Ultimate Hope.

And yet, whenever there was a thorn in her side, Kyoko could bet money they were behind it. On her better days, Celeste would even take her up on that. First it had been trying and failing to infiltrate Jabberwock Island, then it was their thus far unsuccessful attempts to track down Izuru Kamukura and get a roster of known Ultimate Despair members, and most recently it was their successful capture of the Ultimate Despair herself, Junko Enoshima. 

And so, Kyoko glared at her two friends. Makoto shuffled awkwardly. Kyoko’s raw analytic gaze still made him uncomfortable, even if he had come to know and enjoy the person she really was whenever she wasn’t scrutinizing him. Mukuro, meanwhile, stood stiff and still as always. If she was worried, the soldier didn't show it.

“Ryoko, hm? A name she's used before, am I hearing that correctly?”

“T-that's right, Kyo-Kirigiri! Uh, Ma’am,” Makoto replied. 

“Even with the explicit orders we had to avoid anything that might spur her to slip back into Junko’s personality, particularly this soon after the procedure?”

“I.. Uh…”

“That’s my fault, Kirigiri,” Mukuro interjected, her voice steely with military etiquette, “My sentimentality jeopardized my sister’s recovery and the safety of this entire operation. I take full responsibility.”

Makoto immediately put a hand up to her back and gave her a reassuring pat. To Kyoko’s eyes, Mukuro didn’t betray a hint of emotion, but Makoto had long since learned to read the subtleties of his girlfriend’s voice. She put up a good front, but even she hated being reprimanded by a superior.

Kyoko rubbed the bridge of her nose. Despite her role as the leader of the 14th Branch, Kyoko was willing to drop her stoic facade, at least a tiny bit, around her friends, “As long as you acknowledge the mistake. I just ask that you please think next time, we have a plan for a reason.”

The pair apologized, and the frustration eased from Kyoko’s face, returning to its usual cold stoicism. This, they both knew by this point, meant she was in a better mood, “Right, well tomorrow she’ll have both her first psych exam and then a battery of tests to confirm her brain health. Until then, take her to your quarters and make her feel at home. Just…” annoyance flashed across her face for barely a moment, “Try not to tell her anything else. I know she likely has many questions about her past, I can certainly relate, but we really can’t take any further risks.”

The pair nodded. Makoto still had a guilty expression on his face, like a puppy who just got scolded. Kyoko stood up from the desk and gave a gentle smile to the pair. She took off her lilac suit jacket and left it over the arm of her chair. “I’ll come with you to check on our patient.”

“Sure thing, Kyoko,” Makoto practically skipped out of the room.

Mukuro simply nodded, but returned Kyoko’s smile. Mukuro had been working on that lately, smiling more when people smile at you. Sayaka thought it might help the non-78ths feel less afraid of her. She didn't know if it was working, but it did make her feel better.

“So Kyoko, how have things been while we were gone?”   


Kyoko shrugged as they rounded the corner “Well Mondo is back from scavenging, he went a good ways out and Chihiro was worried about him, now she's thrilled that he's back and safe. They've been taking apart Monokumas together with Taka ever since. Taka, for his part, is doing pretty good managing the guard duty. Sayaka’s been getting back a lot of memories recently, like the rest of us, but not quite like Celeste yet. Leon managed to find someone to play guitar with him, and they convinced Sayaka to do vocals, " They threw open the doors to the infirmary, "They've been on Togami's nerves ever since, which is pretty good in my book and she's gone. She isn't here."

Kyoko blinked as Mukuro and Makoto realized that yes, Ryoko was nowhere to be seen. They heard the leather of her gloves squeeze as she clenched her fists, the only sign of anger in her otherwise serenely stoic posture and voice, "Well? Find her."

* * *

Ryoko had already skimmed through every magazine in the infirmary and come to the conclusion that none of them appealed to her. She couldn’t remember her hobbies, but something told her that fashion wasn’t one of them as everything in these magazines seemed dull.  _ Oh well,  _ she thought,  _ I just have to wait a little bit before Mukuro gets back. I’ll just have to find something else to do! _

That had been two minutes ago. She could feel herself getting restless, especially under the gaze of the purple haired nurse across the room. In the course of Ryoko’s hunt across the entire infirmary for something interesting to read, the nurse had never once stopped her staring. She could understand watching over her patients, but this woman seemed a little too interested. And interesting, which is why Ryoko marched up to her.

“Hi! I'm Ryoko Ikusaba, but you probably already knew that hehe!” Ryoko said, “What’s your name?”   
  
The nurse chuckled darkly in response, ignoring her question, “Oh it is  _ so  _ good to see you again…”

“Oh, I guess you knew me from before the accident! In that case, it's good to see you too!”

The nurse just stared back at her, an eerie smile on her face. Her face seemed a bit flushed, and there was an odd look in her eye. She could shake the feeling that there was something… baleful lurking inside her.

Thoroughly creeped out, Ryoko excused herself from the conversation and continued searching around the room for anything to do. After reading the third leaflet in a row about sexually transmitted diseases, Ryoko’s eyes locked on the heavy steel door next to the nurse. Mukuro said she’d be back soon, and it would be rude to not wait for her but… surely just a quick peek out couldn’t hurt anything? She’d be back in no time. She was grateful to be wearing scrubs and not those open-back gowns, otherwise this would be out of the question.

“Hey, nurse lady, would it be okay if I took a quick look outside?”

“I certainly won’t stop you,” the nurse replied with an eerie smile. Ryoko began to wonder if this girl ever blinked.

The nurse’s head pivoted to follow Ryoko as she stepped out the door. Just as Ryoko broke eye contact with her, she could’ve sworn she saw a depraved look cross her face. No, surely that was her imagination. She pushed the thought aside and went merrily down the hall.

* * *

Mondo leaned against the wall, flipping a wrench in the air while bobbing his head to the music. A boombox blasted an eclectic playlist of rap and metal, which the nearby Chihiro put up with while she worked. They weren’t her favorite genres - not even close, in fact - but she put up with it for Mondo’s sake. Mondo had ended up with a surprising amount of responsibilities around the 14th Branch, leading scavenging parties on his motorbike, serving as a general mechanic around the base, and practicing carpentry when furniture was needed. While the rebellious former gang leader balked at the idea, he accepted happily when Celeste made him a new, white coat, with the Future Foundation logo emblazoned by Hifumi on the arm. A really thoughtful gift, and now Mondo was rarely seen without it.

Having just gotten back from a scavenging trip, Mondo was given free reign to relax for a few days. When he had downtime, he’d spend it with his friends from the former 78th class. The road could be lonely, after all. But most frequently he preferred the company of his best friend Taka, who was working right now, or his… friend of currently ambiguous closeness, Chihiro.

For her part, Chihiro was bent over a table, connecting wires to various parts of a disassembled Monokuma. It was rare to get one back in such good condition, so it was always imperative to dismantle them and check their software. With that kind of information, Chihiro could update the back doors used for the Foundation’s hacking guns, back-trace the locations of other Monokumas and try to track down the mastermind behind these robots and the Tragedy: Junko Enoshima.

Just thinking about her sent a chill down Chihiro’s spine. They used to be hunted by her day and night, in the weeks after their escape from Hope’s Peak. Seeing billboards of her face everywhere, along with Mukuro’s resemblance to her back when she was still wearing that wig… It had stuck with all of them, but the more vulnerable of the group especially. 

Chihiro shook the thought from her mind. They’d find her soon. Then we’d all be safe.

She found a panel on the Monokuma she couldn’t quite get up, even after taking the screw out, “Mondo, pliers please!”

“Sure thing Chii,” Mondo cursed under his breath for using that nickname. He told himself he’d stop with that after their break up, to avoid things getting weird between them. A quick glance at Chihiro soothed his worries though, since it didn’t seem like she’d noticed. He fished out a pair of needle-nosed pliers, “Heads up!”

“Thanks Mon-” Chihiro’s eyes went wide as she saw the figure in the door.

“Hi there!” A familiar voice said from just outside the garage.

Mondo looked up when he heard the pliers clatter to the ground, “What's up Chihiro? Oh Shit!”

In the doorway, clad in sky blue scrubs, was a red eyed woman with a familiar grin. Her hair was down, loose, tangled and a bit red at the roots, but he would recognize that strawberry blonde anywhere. Mondo rushed in front of Chihiro to protect her from the woman.

“You’ve got a lot of fucking nerve showing up here, bitch!”

Ryoko reeled back in fear. This man was large, pissed and hated her.

“I-I just…” She couldn’t even finish the thought before his hand was on her throat.

“You just what, you fucking monster!? I should snap your fucking neck, psycho! How did you even get in here?”

Ryoko could feel her face getting hot and the corners of her eyes getting wet. She didn’t expect the first person she met out here would threaten to kill her, that’s for sure. What had she done to piss this man off so much? Who was she? Who had she been?

“RYOKO!” A brown haired young man slid around the corner, skidding to a stop right in front of Mondo. Ryoko recognized him as the man Mukuro had left with earlier.

“Makoto, what the fuck is  _ she _ doing here?” Mondo hissed.

“Mondo let her go!”

“What the hell? Why the fuck should I? What’s going on!?” Mondo’s voice had risen quickly, now practically a roar.

“Mondo, please just let her go,” a soft voice pleaded from behind him.

Mondo took one glance at Chihiro before doing as she asked. Ryoko fell to the ground, panting for breath. Makoto rushed to her side, putting a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.

“Thanks Mondo, I promise I’ll explain everything later. Ryoko are you okay?”

Ryoko couldn’t believe what had just happened. Had this man - Makoto, it seemed - not shown up, she’d have been strangled to death. She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing as the terror shook her, body and soul. She forced herself to nod and stood up. Makoto ushered her outside.

Gripping onto his jacket, Ryoko made it a few steps down the hall before she collapsed. Her fear had overwhelmed her now. Fear of death, fear of that man, Mondo, fear of who she was. The question came back to her. Who had she been to inspire such hatred?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun chapter to write. Ryoko takes some psychic damage. Chihiro and Mondo's relationship to be expanded on in the future. I couldn't decide if Mondo was the type to listen to Rap or Metal so I picked both.
> 
> Edit: A friend pointed out that I've been using 'Celestia' in this fic instead of 'Celeste,' despite my using the localized spellings of names as well as avoiding honorifics everywhere else. This was a mistake on my part, one which I've fixed for consistency and will keep going forward. Similarly I'll refer to Aoi as 'Hina,' Ishimaru as Taka, etc.


	3. Amygdala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mukuro and Ryoko engage in some sisterly bonding, while Makoto braces the rest of the 78th Class to meet someone new.

Ryoko sat curled in the fetal position at the foot of Mukuro’s bed. A blanket had been wrapped around her shoulders and in her hand was a mug of chamomile tea. Mukuro had originally suggested ginger ale mixed with flower tea, a disgusting favorite of Junko’s, but Kyoko quickly vetoed that idea. She instead fetched some dried chamomile, a rare luxury in the post-Tragedy world, from her own supply for her to drink.

It didn’t seem to be having the calming effect that Kyoko claimed it would. Ryoko was still shivering like a leaf, jumping a bit whenever anyone came close.

Watching this hurt for Makoto. The poor girl seemed so innocent to him, even if she shared the face of the woman who had made his life - everyone's lives - a living hell. Even Kyoko agreed that for one of her first memories to be something that might become a potential trauma was not a good thing.

What also hurt was seeing Mukuro stand off to the side of the room, a worried look on her face but also unable to do anything. Makoto closed the distance and whispered in her ear, “Don’t you think you should do something?”

“What can I do? I’m not supposed to do anything that might jog her memory. And I’m no good at comforting people, that’s usually your job.”

“Mukuro, she’s your sister,” Makoto gave her a gentle smile, “If there’s anyone who she’s going to want supporting her, holding her, and listening to her, it’s you. I know that kind of thing scares you a little, but I know you can do it.”

Mukuro sighed, “It’s a good thing you’re such a good person, sweetheart. You could convince people to do terrible things with that smile of yours.”

“Or great things, I hope!” Makoto grinned, not realizing how red his cheeks had become.

Mukuro quickly gave him a kiss on the forehead, “Fine. Go explain the situation to Kyoko and see what she wants you to do. I’ll take care of Ryoko.”

“Roger roger, lieutenant Ikusaba.”

Mukuro smiled and rolled her eyes. She sat herself on the bed next to her sister, who jolted as the bed springs creaked. Mukuro draped an arm over her sister's shoulders, but wasn’t quite sure what to do with it once it was there. The arm hung over Ryoko’s shoulders like a wet noodle for an awkward few seconds.

Ryoko didn’t turn to look at her sister as the dead snake of an arm slid awkwardly down to her back, “...What are you doing?”

“Comforting you. Trying to, at least.”

Ryoko couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at that, “You’re not very good at this are you, sis?”

“N-no… frankly I’m not. Makoto is usually the one who does the comforting.”

Ryoko was quiet for a minute before she spoke again, “He seems nice.”

Mukuro’s smile widened and turned a little more natural, “He really is…”

“Who is he? To you, I mean?” There was a little curiosity in her words, but her voice was still soft and fearful.

“He’s my partner. We go out and try to help people, or stop people who would hurt others,” Mukuro was careful about her words. Kyoko hadn’t yet given the O-K to tell Ryoko about the Tragedy yet.

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“I kinda figured y'all were a thing, that’s all,” Ryoko’s voice was barely an embarrassed whisper, “You seemed close.”

Mukuro was confused. Did she not notice their interaction just a moment ago? “He is also my boyfriend.”

“Oh okay.”

The conversation died again, but not for as long as before.

“You two are cute together.”

“Thanks.”

And so the conversation died again. Mukuro couldn’t help but feel a twinge in her heart as she thought about what Ryoko had just said. Junko would never have given such a sincere compliment like that. It made her happy, yet it was tainted with guilt. The sister who would have told her she didn’t deserve Makoto was awful, yes, but she was also dead now thanks in no small part to Mukuro. Ryoko, the sister sitting next to her, seemed so different at a fundamental level. Junko never let herself be so weak as to curl into the fetal position. Junko never clutched a blanket around her shoulders for comfort. Junko had never been as vulnerable as Ryoko was right now. Mukuro still couldn’t separate the two though - Junko had gone by Ryoko once before, so this Ryoko must just be another side of Junko.

It was several more minutes before either said a word, Ryoko just shivered under the blanket and Mukuro sat awkwardly next to her. Eventually, Ryoko leaned against Mukuro a bit more, and wrapped one side of the blanket around her shoulders as well.

“You’re kinda bad at this, aren’t you?”

Mukuro replied with a sad smile, “Pretty disappointing sister you’ve got, huh?”

Ryoko’s eyebrows furrowed, “Not at all! What would make you think that?”

“I-I don’t know, I’ve just always been told that I guess.”

“I know I’ve only really known you for a day, but I can already tell you’re a good sister. Who would’ve said such a thing to you?”

“I… I…” Every awful thing Junko had ever called her flashed through mind. Repulsive, stupid, worthless, filthy, hopeless, unlovable. At the time she had been hurt by those words, but it all was so easy to write off as “just how Junko is.” Now she was becoming aware all at once just how deeply those words had cut her. Tears began streaming down her face.

Ryoko suddenly wrapped Mukuro in a hug. A tight hug. Mukuro had gradually gotten used to physical affection from Makoto, but his hugs were soft, warm and gentle. Ryoko’s was tight, like she was afraid of losing you, but deeply loving. 

“Jeez, I was supposed to be comforting you, not the other way around. Some sister I am, huh?” Mukuro said between sniffles. 

“Stop saying that.”

“W-What?” Mukuro was caught off guard by the sudden firmness of Ryoko’s voice.

“I may not remember you, but I don’t care what you’ve heard. Hearing you say things that make you sad makes me sad too, so stop. You’re my sister, so I love you. That’s that.”

This girl was not Junko. Despite her hair, her face and her eyes, this hug was filled with a depth of love and compassion that Junko simply did not possess. Her shaky breaths were filled with such honest, raw emotion that Junko would never show, assuming she even felt them in the first place. This love was not Junko’s manipulative, twisted sense of love. She was being completely genuine in her unconditional love. Ryoko was only herself, Mukuro was beginning to realize.

Mukuro didn’t know what to say, and settled on not saying anything at all. The two girls were both sobbing now, clutching the only family either of them had. 

“Mukuro?”

“Yes, Ryoko?”

“Was I different before?”

Mukuro paused for a moment, “Before what?” A weak way to stall.

“My accident.”

Mukuro couldn’t bring herself to lie to this kind new sister, “Yes, somewhat.”

Ryoko clutched Mukuro’s shoulders harder, “Why did that man, Mondo, hate me so much?”

“I... don’t think I can tell you that. You’ve already got enough going on.”

“But-!”

“I’m sorry but you’re just going to have to trust me for now. It's for your protection, I promise.”

“Well what about the accident? What happened to me?” Ryoko’s voice was no longer fearful, and she was no longer sobbing.

“...You suffered a head injury and a concussion.”

“But how?”

“...During a simple sparring match, you took a nasty spill,” Mukuro cursed her terrible lie. Junko never sparred with anyone, if Ryoko was as sharp as Junko had been she’ll see through that immediately.

And indeed she did. Ryoko did not know why, but on this her sister had lied to her. It was an awful lie, one so bad she thought it might be a deliberately transparent lie. She wanted to believe this was for her benefit, that it would turn out to be just a little white lie, and yet suspicion gnawed at her heart. 

Ryoko did her best to bury those feelings for now. She wanted to love her sister. She must have a good reason. She hoped it was a good reason.

* * *

Makoto stood at a podium at one end of a conference room, trying to prepare himself for the confusion and fury of his classmates. Kyoko had told him that it was time to brief their friends on what had happened to avoid a repeat of the situation with Mondo. She was standing by, ready to step in as needed. Makoto was not entirely sure what to say as the 78ths began to file in. Byakuya, Hifumi, Taka, Chihiro, Hina, Leon, Mondo, Sayaka, Sakura, and Hagakure entered, most with a look of confusion, Byakuya with his usual uncaring affectation, and Mondo wearing an expression just shy of violent fury. Makoto was just grateful he seemed calm for now. Everyone was gathered now, save for Toko, who was not allowed to enter the Future Foundation facilities until she had Genocide Jack under control, Celeste, who likely was still locking herself in her room, and Mukuro, who was staying with the subject of this meeting.

Makoto sighed. He still wasn’t sure how he’d ended up in this leadership role. He always felt woefully unprepared for it even with all the support of everyone around him.  _ Oh well, _ he figured,  _ here goes nothing. _

“Ahem. So some of you may already be aware, but you’ll soon be seeing a l… familiar face wandering the halls of the 14th. I know this may come as some surprise, but I need you all to brace yourselves for this.”

Makoto gulped. Mondo looked like he was about to pop a vein if he didn’t hurry up, “As unbelievable as it may seem, Junko Enoshima was captured and brought into the Future Foundation’s custody earlier this week-”

“WHAT?” The room erupted into shouts and worried discussion.

Mondo’s voice was unsurprisingly the first to rise above the cacophony, “What the fuck do you mean ‘wandering the halls?’ You’re letting her, the mastermind of the Tragedy, just have free reign? You can’t be serious!”

“I was getting to that. After some deliberation by the higher ups, it was decided that we would attempt to reform Junko,” After calming another clamor from the crowd, Makoto continued, “She no longer has any of her past memories, and her personality is radically different as a result. She doesn’t even know that she’s Junko, and we’d like to keep it that way. Her new self is going by the name Ryoko and we ask that you all use that name to address her if you see her, and to do your best to not hold what Junko did against her. I know it might be hard to put aside your feelings after everything she’s done, but I believe in you guys. My hope is that with genuine companionship Ryoko can end up a healthier person than her former identity and become a cherished friend to us all. Any questions? I’m sure you’ve got plenty.”

Leon’s hand shot up first, “Who’s stupid plan was this anyway? What if she just wakes up as Junko again one morning and decides to go around slitting all our throats?”

“Right, uh… We don’t. We’re going to just have to trust in the process and have hope. I know that sounds insane, but just like we gave Mukuro the benefit of the doubt back at Hope’s Peak, I need you all to give Ryoko the benefit of the doubt too.”

“And for the record, I helped develop this plan,” Byakuya said, “Junko’s many talents would be invaluable in rebuilding society. Even if this memory wiping procedure causes her to not develop her Ultimate Analyst skill, if there’s a chance she could then she’s too valuable an asset to simply execute and toss away. Not that I expect a peasant like you to understand that logic.”

Leon balled a fist for a moment, but Sayaka and Sakura held him back.

Hagakure spoke next, “So is this, like, a Toko and Jack situation? Is Ryoko gonna turn back into Junko and vice-versa if we splash her with hot or cold water?”

Kyoko spoke up before Makoto could, “I strongly doubt it. Toko has dissociative identity disorder. Ryoko has amnesia. There’s no overlap between those conditions, and no reason to believe that Junko and Ryoko will vie for control like that.”

“How can you expect us to not hold what Junko did against Ryoko?” Sayaka asked, “The Tragedy, the Killing Game, our piece-meal memories, everything that’s happened to us over the past year, Junko was the cause for all of it. We can barely talk about the state of the world outside without mentioning Ultimate Despair.”

“And for that matter, how the fuck do we expect the Junko memories to stay gone? Who’s to say they won’t come back eventually the way that our memories are trickling back in?” Mondo added.

"That’s wrong! She has some psyche exams tomorrow, and after that we’ll slowly introduce the current state of the world to her and explain who she used to be. As for her memories coming back, like I said before, we just don’t know yet. The Foundation used a more advanced technique than what Junko used on us, but the possibility is still there. All the more reason to treat her well so she has no reason to act on those memories.”

Chihiro shyly raised her hand and did not speak until Makoto had pointed at her, “Where is Ryoko now?”

“With Mukuro. She… Needed to be comforted. If you're still finding it hard to believe that Junko and Ryoko are different, well here’s your first indication: Ryoko is very emotionally raw. She can also be very kind, from what I’ve seen of her so far. She’s getting along with Mukuro swimmingly.”

Mondo stood up. His eyes were closed, his head facing the ceiling. His arms were crossed. He seemed to be thinking about something, “So you’re saying this girl has no memories from before today, is trying to be nice, and is currently off crying somewhere? That's honestly what you're telling me?”

Makoto scratched his head, “Well, that’s a pretty simplified explanation, but yes.”

Mondo groaned and started to make for the door, when Taka grabbed him by the shoulder, “Wait, bro! I know you're upset but we’re still in a meeting! It would be impolite to just walk out.”

“Actually, if there’s no further questions, I think we can call it here,” Makoto paused, looking for any of his friends who may have questions, before turning back to Mondo and Taka, “Guess we’re done then. Good seeing you guys.”

“Yeah you too, Makoto. Bro, Chihiro, lets head to my place. I gotta blow off some steam."

“Excellent idea, bro! I’m happy to help you! I'm looking forward to some comradely competition!"

Makoto piped in before anyone else could follow them out, “Can someone catch Toko up in the morning? And Komaru too, please! I’ll try to tell Celeste myself tomorrow.”

“Good luck! Maybe you’ll be able to talk some sense into her, one luckster to another!” Hina added merrily, “Oh, you should come work out with Sakura, Mukie and I some time while you're still here! Hit the weights, or go for some laps in the pool!”

“Haha… I’ll see if I can make it, Hina.”

As much as he’d like to keep that promise, the last time he’d worked out with those three he couldn’t stand the next day. He loved seeing Mukuro get along with everyone, he also loved not being carried everywhere by her.

“A good meeting. It seems that you got everyone on board, and with only mild threats of violence. Your talent never ceases to. surprise me, Makoto.”

Makoto chuckled, “You flatter me too much, Kyoko. I hardly think I did anything special.”

“I disagree. You’ve kept me from personally strangling Byakuya on more than one occasion, I’m sure everyone else feels the same.”

“I didn’t know so many people wanted to strangle him.”

“More of us than you realize, but he isn't the only one I was referring to. For you to get everyone on board with giving Ryoko the benefit of the doubt, especially Mondo who tried to kill her earlier… You certainly live up to that title of yours.”

“Well thanks, Kyoko. Want to grab a drink before we call it a night?”

“No, I don’t think so. You should check in on Ryoko, help her get settled at Mukuro’s place. Besides, I’m sure Mukuro is going to want a little personal time before the day’s over.”

Makoto felt the blood rush to his cheeks. Kyoko gave him a wink before shutting the door behind her.

* * *

The housing units in the Future Foundation Facilities were hardly glamorous. Each person got a scant 400 square feet, enough for a bed and a bathroom, and a little extra space that was tailored to the resident. Some requested workout equipment, others asked for couches, Makoto recalls Hifumi asking for a highly complicated drawing tablet and lots of display cabinets for figurines. Most people didn’t bother with stoves or anything kitchen related since food was kept under the strict control of the Future Foundation’s kitchen to prevent shortages. They always provided tasty food and had snacks to spare, so most didn't feel the need to cook. They were simple bunks, but many preferred to call them apartments. It helped to take their minds off the fact that they were living in glorified bomb shelters connected by concrete tubes.

In Mukuto’s apartment there was a simple couch, a weapon display on the wall (Mukuro didn’t feel truly comfortable unless there were at least 2 weapons in the room, and even Makoto had to admit it brought the room together) and a full bed. Unlike many of the apartments, there were no windows, which Mukuro preferred - fewer possible methods of entry, she said. Makoto’s apartment was right next door, had a couch, TV, and the standard bullet-proof glass window and was where the couple spent most of their time. 

Today, with Ryoko’s arrival, the couch had been covered in blankets, pillows, and at least one pistol. It seemed Mukuro had ceded the bed to Ryoko.

“Sis you can have the bed back, I’ll be fine,” Ryoko insisted

“Nonsense. You need the rest more than me, and I’m accustomed to sleeping on rocks and in windstorms. A couch is more than comfortable enough. Besides, in a few days I’ll be staying at Makoto’s long term. The room will be yours, it’s only natural you take the bed.”

“First I’m hearing of it, sweetheart,” Makoto chimed in. Mukuro wordlessly grabbed his tie and pulled him down for a fast kiss. The way she did that always got his heart racing.

“Just until housing can be found for Ryoko. They’d like to build something close to us and expand a tunnel, so it might be a few weeks. I trust you’re okay with this turn of events?”

“Wait a second, did I not have an apartment yet? Where have I been staying until now?”

“You didn’t live here in the 14th Branch until now,” Makoto quickly interjected. It was the truth, just with some of the details omitted. Ryoko seemed to accept that answer.

Mukuro looked up at Makoto, "Sweetheart let's step outside for a moment, then we can all go to sleep."

Makoto looked a little surprised, but followed her out the door, "So what was it you wanted to talk about, hon-"

Before he could finish speaking, Mukuro had wrapped her arms around Makoto and pulled him in for a kiss. He was a fair amount shorter than her, which made it easy to move him around and bring him in for a kiss. Makoto, of course, let himself be pulled into the kiss. He enjoyed this spontaneous side of her that only he got to see.

After several more kisses in each other's embrace, Mukuro pulled away and winked at him, "Just needed my fix. Haven't gotten to see much of you today, after all."

Makoto pushed her up against the wall as he went in for one more, long kiss. It was a rare treat when Makoto took an assertive role like this. Despite his size, it suited him better than he realized.

Finally, Makoto stepped back from the wall, lovingly stroking Mukuro's hair as he did, "Since we're not sleeping together, I figured I'd give you a little more romance, to help you make it through the night."

Mukuro turned her head and blushed l, "J-Jeez you're getting good at this."

Makoto leaned in and gave her one more peck on the cheek, "See you in the morning, my angel."

Mukuro nodded and gave a small wave before returning to her room. To her surprise, Ryoko, now dressed in pajamas, was kneeling on the foot of her bed waiting for her, "So what did he tell you? Was it something about my examinations tomorrow?"

The heat returned to Mukuro's face, "I'm, actually we were just doing… uh, boyfriend-girlfriend stuff."

Ryoko's face immediately gained an impish grin as she feigned shock, "Ooh like kissing while whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears?"

"I was too embarrassed to do it here in front of you," Mukuro nodded shyly. She was embarrassed, partly because one of Junko's favorite activities was to mock her for any romantic inclinations the Ultimate Soldier tried to show.

"Ooh, how scandalous! What would the children think if they saw such a thing?" Ryoko laughed playfully, "C'mon sis, I'm a grown woman, I can handle that stuff - I, uh, think. Besides you were just kissing! It not like you were gonna pull his pants down and whip his-"

Mukuro was now a deep tomato red, "Oh my god, no"

"Haha, see? It needs to be at least a steamy makeout session before I'd need to leave the room! Don't worry about it so much, I'm glad he makes you happy."

Mukuro nodded, "He really, really does make me happy."

"See?" Ryoko yawned, "That's all that matters then. What do you say we get some Z's? It has been a long ass day…"

Without another word, Ryoko flopped backward onto the bed. Mukuro smiled to herself as she laid down on the couch and pulled the sheets over herself.

"...Thanks for being here with me. Today's been a scary day, but I'm glad I had my sister with me for it. Goodnight, Mukuro."

"Goodnight… Ryoko."

And just like that, Mukuro could hear the quiet snoring of her sister. That made sense, Junko had been able to get to sleep eerily fast too.

Mukuro thought back to Ryoko's teasing. The voice, the facial expressions, even the tone were exactly the same as Junko's, but the intent and heart behind it couldn't be more different. Junko only spoke like that to break her down, but with Ryoko it was just sisterly ribbing. Just an earnest attempt to make them both laugh.

Mukuro rolled over as she realized this might be the first night in a very long time where she wouldn't need to worry about her sister stabbing her in her sleep. Today was just the first of many days with her lovely new sister. She wondered if some small part of Junko was watching this and despairing. But more than that, she hoped Ryoko was feeling as hopeful as she was. That thought warmed Mukuro's heart, and lulled her into peaceful sleep and sweet dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating pretty early this week! Wanted to get this done and uploaded fast, since the rest of my week is going to be eaten by Shadowlands and Thanksgiving. 
> 
> Getting some hopeful developments with Ryoko and Mukuro, which is fantastic. Their interactions are fun to write, because despite Mukuro's expertise in combat, she's very much a B-type personality, while Ryoko is the A-type.
> 
> Makoto is tricky to write. Hes polite as can be, and sometimes a bit awkward, but he's also got a very strong spine and is a master of influencing people to do better, even if he doesn't seem to realize that. Still a super fun character, but I think I need to keep working on how I'm portraying him.
> 
> More Mondo and Chihiro to come. I don't want to say they're a B-plot, they're more minor than that, but their relationship is going to come up. 
> 
> I also just wanted to say thank you for the support, it means a lot.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> Thank you for taking a look at this Dangan Ronpa fanfic! I know this is a slow start but I hope you like it and will consider giving it a book mark. I can't promise a conssistent upload schedule but I hope I'll be able to get more content to you all soon.


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